Trauma Without Treatment: A Qualitative Study of Mental Health Gaps in Ontario IPV Agencies for Racialized Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV), is one of the most significant sources of psychological distress for women globally, yet mental health remains chronically underserved within IPV service provision, particularly for racialized survivors. This qualitative study explores how racialized immigrant and nonimmigrant women in Ontario, Canada, experience the psychological impact of IPV and whether their mental health needs were addressed through available services. Drawing on 107 in-depth interviews, the study employs an intersectional, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive feminist methodology. Findings show that survivors primarily sought help not to stop the violence itself but to cope with the accumulating mental health consequences of long-term emotional abuse, coercion, and distress. Many described their emotional pain through culturally rooted idioms, such as "mental block" or "spiritual drowning," which were often misunderstood or dismissed in Western clinical models. Women reported a severe shortage of licensed mental health providers, culturally responsive therapy, and trauma-informed treatment within IPV agencies. In the absence of appropriate care, women relied on self-guided coping strategies, spiritual practices, and informal supports. This research documents a significant institutional failure to integrate trauma-informed and culturally grounded mental health care into Ontario's IPV response system. It contributes to IPV scholarship by centering racialized survivor voices and offering recommendations for embedding culturally safe, trauma-responsive mental health support within shelters and social service agencies.